


Branches in Trees

by cilceon



Category: Fallout (Video Games), Fallout 4
Genre: Codsworth is just a worried mom, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-29
Updated: 2020-08-29
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:20:33
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,903
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26167795
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cilceon/pseuds/cilceon
Summary: “Who are you.” Codsworth spoke curtly. If he had arms, they would be on his hips.“A minuteman-”“False!” The robot spun towards him. All three eyes shooting closer, like fingers digging into his chest. “You are not a minuteman! You were here months before Mum came back! Do not assume I did not detect your presence! My sensors art the highest grade and the highest calibre RobCo had ever crafted! You will not pull the wool over my eyes sir!” RobCo…not General Atomics?“I’m a minuteman right now.” Deacon picked an eye, refusing to look away from it. “Probably be one again next week too.”Codsworth scoffed, “Miss Charlotte has been through far too much to be toyed with by a- a vagabond such as yourself! I repeat, what is your name you delinquent!”Oh, he needed to make a choice right now, an important one at that.
Relationships: Deacon/Female Sole Survivor, Deacon/Sole Survivor (Fallout)
Comments: 6
Kudos: 17





	Branches in Trees

**Author's Note:**

> PLEASE READ hi there! ive written a long & better version of this story that you can read [here!](https://archiveofourown.org/works/29649237)

PLEASE READ NOTES ABOVE

It wasn’t often Deacon went back to Sanctuary with Wanderer, well not with her knowing it anyways. She hadn’t offered to take him back here yet; he felt no need to ask.

When the bombs fell there were two planes overhead of or at least near the suburbs which some lot of settlers before Garvy’s gang made their way there had ripped apart with a suit of power armour. Creating walls out of the wings, the hulls and scraps becoming the start of homes, shops, Sheffield’s new bar, and other various buildings, perched precariously on top of the inter cluster of pre-war homes inside the safety of the wings.

The sight could almost put Diamond city to shame. The Minutemen had done a lot of good with the community since it was refounded nearly six months ago and that continued even after Preston left for the Castle, leaving Sturges and an old ghoul who went by Higgins, in charge.

Deacon walked past the growing farm outside the walls and one Marcy Long yelling at some poor soul about letting tatoes grow on the ground.

He shook his head with a smile as he continued to the open gate into the inner ring.

A minuteman stood at her post as Deacon walked past her, the guard tilted her hat in greeting. He did the same as he continued on his way. Just two minutemen saying hello, nothing to gawk at.

Nope, the only thing worth staring at was the woman up in the giant tree of the town centre and Sturges holding the ladder she only had one foot on.

He stopped walking, his head tilted to the sided and arms crossed, looking up at her from under the shade of one of the towering buildings. Wanderer…Charlie had a long string of lights in her hands and slung over her shoulder. Was she trying to put them in the tree?

For a moment she lost her footing and he involuntary took a step forward as if he were somehow close enough to catch her should she fall. Charlie recovered, earning a friendly chastise from the burly man below. She giggled in response and continued on with her mission to decorate the tree.

Oh, her laugh. Smoother than rainwater. He closed his eyes, leaning against the building behind him, listening to her conversation. Sunglasses hiding his actions.

Sometimes it was nice to just listen to his wanderer’s voice. She had this sort of honey rasped into it, confident and soft. He supposed the honey they got their hands on nowadays was different. Her voice was what he imagined it used to be before everything in existence got blown to hell.

She sounded carefree in her banter with Sturges. If Deacon didn’t know better, he would’ve thought himself jealous. She laughed again and he cracked an eye open to look up at her, stopping himself from smiling.

Plenty of the General’s men felt too fondly of her, he’d overheard more conversations than he’d like to admit. But for every drunken recruit trying to jar up the other around them about her and her body, there was five more standing up for her. Most of these men and woman adored Charlie, respected her even more, and the ones that didn’t never lasted long.

Deacon closed his eyes again, listening to the sounds around him. After a few minutes, the soft whirling and pinging of either a Mister Handy or a Miss Nanny hummed in his direction.

“Excuse me sir. There’s a problem that needs your attention ‘round the corner.” Codsworth extended a claw towards the gate of the town.

“Why of course Mr. Codsworth,” Deacon kicked off the wall, “What seems to be the problem, my good man.”

He puttered on ahead, “Please follow me.”

Deacon knitted his brow, glanced up at Wand- Charlie before trailing after her Mister Handy. Handies were hard to read, their inflictions annoyingly easy to fake and alter. One just needed to pay attention to the conversations of a red clad reporter and a the Handy in the Upper Stands to see that. But this particular unit was different.

He could tell he wasn’t being led to a minuteman situation just from the sputters of Codsworth’s exhaust.

Charlie had mentioned once absentmindedly that her…husband had an affinity for taking machines apart and then putting them back together in an even better state than before he got his hands on them.

She had told him Codsworth was a very unique Mister Handy not because he was slightly smaller than his brothers but because of the hardware inside him.

Something about her father gifting things to said husband to tinker with from work, though Deacon was yet to decern where her dad was employed. As he followed Codsworth, he made a mental note to ask her about it later.

They reach the small creek and even smaller bridge that lead up the path to vault 111, Codsworth stopping next to a fallen tree.

The man shoved his hands in his pockets waiting expectantly. He wasn’t in danger physically, but he was getting the feeling Codsworth knew things Deacon didn’t know he knew. It made him nervous.

“Who are you.” Codsworth spoke curtly. If he had arms, they would be on his hips.

“A minuteman-”

“False!” The robot spun towards him. All three eyes shooting closer, like fingers digging into his chest. “You are not a minuteman! You were here months before Mum came back! Do not assume I did not detect your presence! My sensors art the highest grade and the highest calibre RobCo had ever crafted! You will not pull the wool over my eyes sir!” _RobCo…not General Atomics?_

“I’m a minuteman right now.” Deacon picked an eye, refusing to look away from it. “Probably be one again next week too.”

Codsworth scoffed, “Miss Charlotte has been through far too much to be toyed with by a- a vagabond such as yourself! I repeat, what is your name you delinquent!”

Oh, he needed to make a choice right now, an important one at that.

“Deacon, the name’s Deacon.”

Codsworth’s lenses narrowed before opening completely. _Was that the right decision?_

“You’re Mr. Deacon?” The robot’s voice was low, all previous anger melding away but the skepticism didn’t budge. “ _You’re_ … Mr. Deacon.” Codsworth, sputtered his exhaust off. He lowered to the ground slowly, his three arms folding underneath him. “Pardon my brashness sir _,_ I simple refuse to believe you are the man she speaks so highly of.”

She speaks highly of him? He took a seat on the log next to Codsworth, resting his forearms on his thighs, hands clasped in front of him. “Don’t know what to tell ya’ buddy.”

There was a soft ticking from inside the bot, metal cooling and shrinking in the long-awaited break from extended use. “… Did you know Mum was down there?”

Deacon sighed, looking at his hands. “I had an inkling something important was. Didn’t know it was her.” He didn’t know it was something as important as her, that’s for damn sure.

“Does she know this?” His center eye lifted, looking Deacon up and down.

“A wonderful question, Codsy-”

“That’s Codsworth to you.” The Mister Handy huffed, “Mum, the Sirs, and Young Master Shaun are the only ones permitted to be so casual with me.” The eyes nodded shortly, solidifying his point.

“The Sirs?” Deacon fidgeted with his thumbs idly, testing the waters.

“Why yes. Mum’s dear late husband and even later father, Professor Robert Mayflower. Whom the young master owes his middle name too.”

“Oh, her old man was a RobCo scientist?” Deacon leaned back nonchalantly, “Explains why she’s so smart with terminals.”

“Sir was not just a scientist. Ha! He was a brilliant engineer and sole inventor of the RobCo Stealth Boy model 3001 Personal Stealth Device!" Codsworth seemed to beam with pride. “He was always so proud of Mum,” The warmth left him, turning somber for a moment. “So very proud. And imagine the delight when Master Nathan first expressed his love for the same technology in which The Professor perfected… Ah this is not the focus of this conversation.” Codsworth cleared his ‘throat’ becoming serious once more. “Do you intend to hurt Mum.”

A twist of hurt went through Deacon’s spine. He bit his tongue from responding too quickly. “Would never dream of it, Codsworth.”

“Humph, I would hope so. She holds you in a lofty regard Mr. Deacon.” Codsworth straightened himself, “I've always had such admiration for Mum and her family, ever since the day my visual sensors were first switched on.”

Deacon squinted, looking towards the creek, staying quiet to let the bot continue. He got the inkling that Codsworth didn’t talk about whatever he was about to often. “I know mum has mentioned _before_ to you, and the thought of her smiling like she used to once more… It just warms my nuclear core.”

“So, imagine the distress I felt when the bombs fell Mr. Deacon, after the family went to the vault.” Codsworth sighed, “I searched but found no evidence of their deaths. I could only hope they all made it in time.”

Deacon didn’t take his eyes from the water. “That had to be tough on you, waiting so long not knowing if anyone was going to come back.” He laced his fingers, Deacon remembered seeing Codsworth for the first time guarding the only ‘home’ in sanctuary with a kept yard, right outside the metal walls of the then abandoned town. Humming away to a song he had heard Charlie whistle, but now he could never place as anything but hers.

“The thought that one day, descendants of the Hale Family would immerge from the vault and I could meet them kept me going. But- but when _she_ returned, I was overjoyed! I admit I ran a full diagnostic scan just to make sure I wasn't malfunctioning.” Codsworth glanced over to Deacon, “During this, my sensors picked you up coming from the hill when she reached me. I hoped it was the proper judgment not to inform her of your presence. It seems I was correct. I also assume that you overheard the pain in her voice when she gave me the news. The news of Sir and Shaun.”

He nodded somberly, remembering some of the first words he heard from her; _Is this all that’s left?_

“Indeed. In such a bleak world as this, think of all she has witnessed, and all she’s done… Mum wasn’t raised with violence Mr. Deacon. Its not in her disposition to harm others. It must destroy her inside that she… that she has… _killed_ people. When she returned from the devil Kellogg! I just, she just…”

Deacon swallowed, Adam’s apple bobbing. It was so easy to forget that woman used to be anything but a frighteningly accurate shot and the most lethal heavy the Railroad might have ever had. Charlie had been a lawyer, a housewife, and mother.

Now she was, in essence, co-commanding a militia, trying to save an entire race of people, desperately searching for a way to get into the institute to find her boy, and helping any other lucky soul that crossed their path.

How many people had he seen her kill?

Six, seven months ago, her hands would shake with the weight of a weapon and what it could do. Always looking away when she fired. But now? Charlie was so desensitized, her eyes looked empty with each light snuffed out. Seldom did she miss her shots anymore.

She was terrifying. Fatal to anyone foolish enough to shoot at her first.

He needed to talk to her about this. Find a way to weave in hints that it wasn’t okay that she was turning into the rest of them. Wanderer was too important to become what he was.

“Thank you for being by her side with Mr. Valentine during that escapade. In my two hundred years, I've seen this world tear good men and women apart.” Codsworth continued, “But Mum, she has remained the very model of what humanity should aspire to be regardless of her hardships. Her kindness is unrivaled, don’t you agree Mr. Deacon.”

“Yes.” His voice cracked with dryness, “Kind people like her aren’t born that way, huh?” Deacon bit the inside of his cheek, hoping Codsworth would walk- or hover into the verbal snare he laid.

“No, I suppose not… Mum has always wanted to be a source of peace and wellbeing for others. She did not have an ideal upbringing you see. The Professor was rarely home in her youth, far too busy with the company.” Codsworth slumped his eyes, “Its not my place to go into detail, but I do not think the world ending was the cruelest thing she has been forced to endure.”

Deacon balled his fist. What could possibly be worse than what she had seen? He unclenched his hands, digging one into his shirt pocket for a cigarette. Not often did he smoke outside of HQ, but he’d make an exception. “Spare me a light?”

The Mister Handy didn’t hesitate, “Of course.” Codsworth lifted his appendage with the flamer puffing it to life, lighting the cigarette.

He took a long drag from it, returning his eyes to the river. The sun was beginning to set, the orange of the giant star caught at the ripples in the water. “Why did you bring me out here, Codsworth?”

“In truth, I was aiming to accost you and demand you leave Mum alone. However now knowing that you are the very man she grins while speaking of? Why it changes my entire outlook and therefore intention.”

Deacon flicked the ashes of the cigarette to the side. “And what has that intention changed to?”

Codsworth went quiet, Charlie’s and a few other’s laughs could be heard in the distance. “Thank you for keeping her safe, Mr. Deacon. Mum is very important to me and I presume to you as well. I make not assumption that I am equipped to protect her, I am far from it. But you have the skills to do so. I’m grateful that you are by her side. That is all.”

“All I do is add commentary.” He held the tabaco to his mouth, inhaling, speaking on the exhale. “She’s the tree and if anything, I’m just one leaf.”

“Why I disagree Mr. Deacon! If Mum is a tree, then I am motivated to believe that you are her largest and therefore most impressive branch-”

“Codsy!” Charlie’s voice called out from behind them, “Where’d you run off to buddy?” Judging by the echo, she was near the gate. “We’re almost ready!”

Codsworth sprang upwards, engine sparking to life. Deacon glanced up from his spot to the robot, cigarette going back to his mouth. “Oh dear! Mum’s done with the lights already!”

Deacon chuckled at the bot’s flustered state. “Well go on Codsworth, don’t leave her waiting.”

Codsworth started to move away but stopped abruptly, turning back to the man and his cigarette. “You shouldn’t either, Mr. Deacon.”

He raised an eyebrow but didn’t respond as his companion continued on his way, calling out to Charlie as he left.

Deacon rolled his shoulders as mirth reached him from the town center. With an exhale he dropped the bud on the ground, snuffing it out with his heel. Knees cracking as he stood, man was he getting old?

“Hey you.” Oh god, Marcy. “You’re going to miss the lights.” The woman was on the pavement a good 50 feet away. “You aren’t on patrol?” She didn’t wait for an answer. “Then get to the tree.”

“Yes’m.” Deacon tilted his hat towards the woman, following behind.

He looked at Charlie’s old home as he passed. The yard was meticulously kept, per Codsworth’s requested, but the doors were locked, windows boarded up. The townsfolk had an unspoken rule that that house was off limits. Charlie didn’t talk about it to them, but word got around regardless. Deacon had noted that the woman would purposefully look to Sturge’s and Tina’s house across the street whenever she passed it.

The whole town was clustered around the giant sycamore tree, Mama Murphy was stirring the contents of a large gumbo pot, leaning on Curie. Jun emerged from a newly built shack with a tower of assorted bowls in his hands, smiling widely as his wife walked up to him and took the upper half of the bowls, walking to the stew.

There were six children in Sanctuary, the newest addition, Billy Peabody was attempting to explain the rules to some pre-war game but gave up halfway through. The kids opted to just play catch with the half-deflated ball, which he didn’t seem to mind.

His parents, who had been adjusting well to the community since their arrival as far as Deacon could tell, were leaning on the railing of their porch made from the smaller part of a plane hull. Matt had his arm over Carol’s shoulder as they overlooked their son playing with his friends. Not many communities welcomed ghouls into them. Deacon was glad that Sanctuary wasn’t on that list. The Vault-Tec rep, Clyde Yellowmen counted himself amongst them, as did Higgins and a handful of others.

Deacon didn’t know much about Higgins, which made him cautious around the ghoul, but he could discern he was once a military man. Charlie had only told him that Higgins was a good man and an old friend of the family.

“You don’t gotta swat at me now!” Sturges whined. The woman from Vault 81, Tina De Luca, who Charlie offered a place in the town to after her junky of a brother was under control, was kneeling over a generator at the base of the tree, glaring playfully at Sturges besides her.

“I wouldn’t have to, if you kept these engines in a good working order.” Tina wiggled a wrench at him.

They smiled at each other before both looking away quickly. Sturges rubbed the back of his neck, probably looking for something witty to say to the woman. _Oh, what do we have here?_ Deacon mussed to himself, _Two little love birds?_

“Mum, can I help?” Codsworth voice echoed from the steps leading up to their home that rested on top of the Long’s house. Marcy and Jun lived in one of the more intact prewar homes, but Charlie had claimed the scrap metal conglomerate above it.

Well, she didn’t claim it per say. Sturges, Higgins, and several others made the decision for her when she was off running around for the Railroad for a month straight. Fixed it up for her as a surprise, she had looked so happy when Codsworth and other residents reviled it to her, A way to say thank you, he supposed.

“Nah, nah its alright buddy.” She was a few steps behind him, caring a crate filled with bottles of nuka-cola. He was wondering why she had been snagging every bottle they came across…

When Charlie reached the last step, Higgins reached out and took the case from her. “Let me, ma’am.” He didn’t wait for her to respond.

She puffed her cheeks out, “Thanks Higgs.” Charlie dusted her hands off on the skirt of the dress she was in. The periwinkle looked beautiful on her. An almost matching bandana attempting to tame her hair, it wasn’t often she let it down from the bun she normally had. The bobby pin pit, as he called it.

Higgins nodded, the pair walking towards Murphy and the gumbo pot. “That dress looks lovely on you, ma’am.” He added. Deacon cocked his head to the side, watching the interaction. Yes, it did, of course it did. That why Deacon mentioned it when they picked through a Fallon’s months ago.

“Does it?” She knows it does. “A close friend of mine picked it out.” She put a hand on Murphy’s shoulder in greeting. The old woman patted it in response.

“May I ask where this friend is now?” Deacon squinted, leaning against the old house he had earlier, noting Codsworth glancing at him from his place besides Sturges.

She waved him off, not catching what Higgins was actually asking. “Oh, he’s busy. Jay’s a guard in Dimond City. Couldn’t get away from the big green jewel long enough to celebrate with us.”

A spark of hurt went through him, she never mentioned this party to him. Granted, they had been apart for a few weeks now. He was doing recon on the Brotherhood and she was taking off time, per Desdemona’s request.

It was more of an order than anything, they were pushing her too far too fast, asking too much of their Wanderer.

Higgins smiled at her, “That sure is a shame,” he looked at the people around them, if it wasn’t for the glasses, they would’ve made eye contact. “He’s missing a beautiful sight.”

“Charlie!” Sturges and Tina both called out before blushing immediately.

Sturges cleared his throat, “Um… ah we should be ready to turn this puppy on.”

She clapped her hands excitedly, “Really?!” Charlie practically ran toward the tree and the center of the crowed, forgetting Higgins. Mama Murphy smiled, saying something to the ghoul as she returned her attention to the gumbo.

Charlie talked to Codsworth for a moment causing the robot to spin in a circle happily before he called out to the crowd with a whistle. “Everyone it’s time to start the festivities!”

“Hopefully at least!” Charlie called out to the crowed as they settled and drew closer to her. “It’s because of all of you that we can do this, all I did was hang the lights. I can’t thank y’all enough for all the hard work that been done!” From his place Deacon had a clear view of her through the cluster, and of Codsworth besides her. The aforementioned robot glanced over to him at her words; Deacon stopped himself from shifting his weight under the stare.

“So, fingers crossed everybody!” She motioned to Sturges who flipped the switch of the generator.

Hundreds of pins of light flickered throughout the tree. Everyone seemed to hold their breath together. Then in one fluid motion all the points beamed to full life. All of the people clapped and cheered.

Two children ran past Deacon stopping right in front of him to gawk at the tree. “Wow,” one of them whispered, “How’d Miss Hale do that?”

“Dunno, but Mama Murphy says Miss Hale can do everythin’ she puts her mind ta, says she’s seened it.” They ran off towards the stew.

Laughter filled the air around him, music from an old radio Sheffield kept in his bar weaved through the celebration. Everything was illuminated with a soft yellow glow, giving the whole area a dreamlike effect to it.

Charlie laughed and he snapped his head towards her. She had her hand in one of Codsworth’s who was spinning her in a lazy circle, the skirt of her dress flowed around her like water.

When she stopped, she was facing Deacon, her grin causing her eyes to scrunch up. It fell somewhat as she looked at him, shifting slightly into an unasked question.

Someone called out to her, and seeming to answer her own question, Charlie smiled at him ever so tenderly before turning away into the crowd.


End file.
